


fortune favors the bold

by cherrylix



Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Idols, Canon Compliant, M/M, Meaningless Fluff, Non AU, Tarot, set during SVT club
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-06-30
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:47:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,169
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24984088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cherrylix/pseuds/cherrylix
Summary: “Are you interested or not?” he asks, only a little impatient.  “I’ve been practicing.  I think I’m good enough to show someone now.”Jeonghan looks slightly amused but dips his head in acknowledgement.  “I come here for your cute 8bar but I get offered a tarot card reading by an adorable fortune teller?  How could I refuse?”..or: Minghao tries out a new hobby for SVT Club.
Relationships: Xu Ming Hao | The8/Yoon Jeonghan
Comments: 3
Kudos: 50





	fortune favors the bold

**Author's Note:**

> hello jeonghaonators i offer up this humble tribute to tag.. pls enjoy this plotless fic

“Don’t you have too many hobbies already, Myungho?” asks Jeonghan. They’re sitting comfortably in his room, the lights turned down to an ambient yellow. Minghao would be concerned about the overly romantic lighting if Jeonghan wasn’t so convinced that they were just friends.

“Maybe,” Minghao replies. “But you can never have too many. What if I had no hobbies outside of Seventeen? That’s not a balanced life.”

Jeonghan lets out a long, exaggerated sigh, stretching his body to recline leisurely on Minghao’s plush carpet. “Myungho-yah,” he drawls. “Work life balance also means that “life” doesn’t overbalance the “work” aspect. If you have too many hobbies, then life is also unbalanced.”

Jeonghan has a perpetual lazy drawl. Every word is painstakingly unfurled, and each syllable slides into the next like a viscous stream of honey. Minghao is used to the way Jeonghan talks, even finds it annoying sometimes, but for some reason, he shivers a little. 

Those damn lights, Minghao thinks. “You’re right, but if I practice moderation, then living life sensibly is possible,” he counters. 

“It’s _possible,_ ” responds Jeonghan. “But it works the other way around too. The possibilities are endless.” Minghao rolls his eyes. 

“Whatever. Do you want your fortune read or not?” 

Jeonghan looks slightly amused but dips his head in acknowledgement. “I come here for your cute 8bar but I get offered a tarot card reading by an adorable fortune teller? How could I refuse?”

“Hyung, please be serious.” Minghao doesn’t whine, but judging by Jeonghan’s laughing eyes it might’ve seemed that way to the older boy. He glances at the little portable camera perched on his shelf inconspicuously. “I haven’t even decided if I want to talk about 8bar in the SVT club episode yet.”

“I’m always serious.” Jeonghan says. He smiles cherubically but Minghao knows that he’s lying through his teeth. “But why are you filming now? Are you that confident about the keyword from the pre-interview?”

Minghao scratches the back of his neck. “I thought the host would ask about hobbies, and I want to be prepared. I thought I could prepare a new hobby to show to carats.”

Jeonghan tuts. “If you’re that concerned about showing a nice image to carats, I’ll make sure to talk all about your special hobbies on the show, okay? If I bring it up, you will seem more humble, and your image will be preserved.”

“Thanks hyung,” Minghao mumbles, staring at his hands. He has to forcefully remind himself that Jeonghan is just as caring and thoughtful for other members as he is for Minghao. The older man likes to take care of people.

He clears his throat a little awkwardly and looks up. “I also wanted a cool new hobby that didn’t originate from days of restlessness during my injury hiatus.”

Jeonghan makes a soft noise and reaches to pet one of Minghao’s bare feet that rests on the ground in front of Jeonghan. Minghao swallows and tries not to think about it.

“Oh Eissa,” he coos, “it doesn’t matter where a hobby comes from as long as you enjoy it.”

Minghao sighs, folding his hands in his lap. “You’re right,” he says, but doesn’t mention the countless canvasses splattered in red paint that Minghao had vented all his frustration and hurt onto, the canvas that soaked up his feelings like a pillow, and sometimes he cannot separate brushstrokes from strokes made while his back was on fire. But Minghao also knows that feelings in life are fleeting, and that he can replace hurting paintings with new ones, and the old ones that held his sadness would still remain.

“But hyung, let me show you what I’ve learned.” He makes an aborted motion to grab his deck of tarot cards when his wrist is grabbed (gently, of course gently, how else would Jeonghan hold someone if not with the utmost care?).

“Not so fast, Myungho.” Jeonghan says. Minghao gulps a little, suddenly nervous (something that has nothing to do with the fact that his hyung is still holding his wrist). “I came for some wine, didn’t I? Why don’t you pour me a glass?”

Minghao sighs and nods his head. He tries to pull his wrist free from Jeonghan’s grasp, but the older boy seems intent on letting his fingers linger on every inch of skin on the inside of Minghao’s wrist, the inner veins, the palms of his hands, and then the fingers themselves. Minghao retrieves his hand as fast as he can, but the soft touches of the finger pads linger. 

_Yoon Jeonghan, what are you doing,_ he thinks miserably as he obediently picks a bottle of red wine. He pours a small amount into a wine glass for Jeonghan, who wrinkles his nose at him. 

“Hmph. You don’t have to be so stingy.” As if to prove his point, he downs the entire glass in one gulp and grins beautifically. “Refill,” he says cheerfully. 

Minghao swallows hard and tries to ignore the small drop of wine hanging from the corner of Jeonghan’s mouth, which proves to be a hefty task, especially when Jeonghan’s little pink tongue peeks out to swipe at the liquid. “Can I just give you the reading already?” he says quickly. 

“Slow down Myungho,” Jeonghan chides. “You haven’t had a sip yet.” Jeonghan pours out some wine and hands his glass to Minghao. 

Feeling somewhat guilty, Minghao takes the glass grudgingly, avoiding eye contact. There’s a faint mark on the glass left by Jeonghan’s chapstick. He swirls it with a little more force than necessary, watching the wine writhe and swirl in a circular motion. 

“Not thirsty,” he says. 

He must’ve said that with more force than he realized, because Jeonghan raises his eyebrows before shrugging nonchalantly and accepting the full wine glass. “Your loss,” he says, and raises it to his lips. Minghao stares at a spot on the wall until Jeonghan delicately sets the half-empty glass on the nightstand, now adorned with two chapstick marks. 

Jeonghan waves a hand indulgently. “Go ahead, read my fortune Myungho. Make it good, okay?”

“I can’t control whether your fortune is good or bad,” says Minghao. “I can only discern it for what it is. I’m an amateur, not Lady Fortune.” Jeonghan’s eyes, focused on the desk of cards, twinkle with mirth at the mention of Lady Fortune, but he doesn’t say anything. _Usually he would mock this kind of spiritual stuff to death. He might act insensitive, but he’s really not._

He shuffles the deck diligently on his lap, in the process sliding down from his bed to sit cross legged on the ground to face Jeonghan at eye level. Multitasking is exponentially harder with Jeonghan’s eyes trained on him.

“So what do you want to know about?” he asks. He’s half-hoping Jeonghan doesn’t ask him to read his romantic fortune, but half-hopes he does. Well, quarter-hopes. He mostly doesn’t want to have to read Jeonghan’s romantic fortune. The other quarter of himself is just vaguely nervous to have Jeonghan looking at him so intently. 

“Is Seventeen going to hit it big in 2018?” he chirps excitedly. 

Minghao snorts, letting out a breath of relief he didn’t know he was holding. “We already know the answer to that,” he grumbles, but dutifully lays three cards on the ground. “Page of Pentacles,” he reads, flipping the first card over. “He represents hard work and industriousness. He has a lot of ambition, but with the work ethic to back it up. Seventeen probably will benefit from the energy of this card in order to find success.”

“Ambition and work ethic? Isn’t that just our Channie?”

“...I hate to admit it, but you’re right.”

Minghao moves on to the next card and flips it over. “Eight of Wands. This card typically marks a busy period full of swift change.”

Jeonghan scoffs. “Of course we’re busy, Seventeen are idols! And we’re preparing for our Japanese debut, so change is inevitable. What are the cards telling me that I don’t already know?”

Now it’s Minghao’s turn to tut. “Believe in the cards, Jeonghan,” he says. “Besides, I’m not done yet. I still have another card left.”

He flips the last card over. “Ten of Pentacles! Seventeen’s bank accounts are about to come into lots of money. So to answer your question, the cards have decreed that Seventeen will indeed hit it big in 2018.”

Jeonghan smiles in satisfaction. “Well, I was told what I wanted to hear, so I’m sold,” he says. “But I already knew the answer to that question. I think I should have another reading just to see if the cards are genuine or not.” 

Minghao just shrugs. He feels a little tense, waiting to hear what Jeonghan’s next question is.

“Myungho-yah, can you give me a romance reading?” Jeonghan asks coyly, batting his eyelashes. His tone is thick in honey and his movements have the pronounced exaggeration of someone joking around.

“Isn’t that also predictable?” says Minghao, ignoring the rapid thumping of his heart. “I mean, we’re _idols._ There’s not much to predict.”

“Just read the cards,” says Jeonghan dismissively. His eyes are trained intently on the deck of cards. Why did Jeonghan sound so confident? Was he dating somebody outside the group? Given that nobody in Seventeen had ever dared date anybody, at least during their time as idols, the possibility seemed highly unlikely, but if anybody was to attempt something so brave and controversial, it would be Jeonghan. Why else would Jeonghan want to know his romantic fortune? 

Suddenly, all the strange nervous feelings that Minghao has been both suppressing and subconsciously cherishing dissipate, leaving him feeling cold and vaguely empty. 

“No,” says Minghao flatly. 

Jeonghan pouts. “Why not?”

“Um, uh. Fine. I’ll do it,” he says, if only because he doesn’t want to sound too suspicious. 

Jeonghan gives him a satisfied smile. “Great.”

Minghao sends an anguished glance at the camera even though he knows it won’t help, then realizes how suspicious he looks. If this footage actually made its way into the next SVT Club episode, then carats would almost certainly use this moment as license to interpret Minghao’s emotions throughout their interaction, and they wouldn’t be exaggerating this time. And if Jeonghan read some of the comments, then Minghao’s dignity would be permanently shattered.

At least in the present moment, Jeonghan is too busy watching him shuffle cards with heated anticipation to notice him, saving him slight embarrassment. What a close call, he thinks bitterly. 

Minghao slaps three cards down. Without looking at the other boy, he turns the first card over. “Two of Swords. A deadlocked situation of two choices that you feel stuck in. You may be guarding your feelings to protect yourself. This..probably isn’t the most positive card to get, but all you need to do is face the truth and make your decision.”

Joenghan’s previously languid demeanor becomes tense. He sits up, crosses his arms, and tuts. “Whatever,” he says lightly. “Not like I need to listen to the cards anyways. What do they know?”

Minghao turns the card in the middle over. “The Hanged Man is about a shift in perspectives. You may be feeling vulnerable, so this card is a sign to step into the unknown. This is your solution to your crossroads situation.”

Jeonghan leans back a little, arms still crossed. He lets out a sigh. “Well, I like this card a little better. Can you rig the last card in my favor, Myungho?”

“Submit oneself to the will of heaven.” Minghao quotes the idiom to Jeonghan, doing his best to translate the Chinese phrase to Korean. He flips over the last card. “The last card is Knight of Wands. This card is all about decisive energy and passion. It tells you that sometimes you just need to be daring.”

“Daring, huh?” Jeonghan says thoughtfully. He examines the cards in front of him, then examines Minghao’s face. Minghao can feel himself growing nervous at the older man’s silence. “So basically what you’re saying is that I should just go for it?”

“According to the cards, yes,” Minghao says as calmly as he can. “So, are you convinced now? Was that an accurate description of your situation?” 

“Yeah,” Jeonghan says distantly. He looks at Minghao. The look in his eyes is unidentifiable but somewhat pensive. It makes Minghao feel kind of itchy. He really doesn’t like this. He would like this to be over as soon as possible, thank you very much. “I guess I’ll listen to the cards then,'' Jeonghan says. 

“Well, good luck with that,” says Minghao. “Now that we’re all finished up, can you please leave?”

“You’re kicking me out just like that?” exclaims Jeonghan. “But I still have something to tell you!” 

“I already did your reading. I’m not talking to you about your romance life,” says Minghao. 

“But Minghao!” whines Jeonghan. “You’re the only one who can help me!” 

“Oh really,” says Minghao. 

“Nobody else will get it,” says Jeonghan confidently. “Come on, please?” Jeonhan gives him puppy dog eyes. 

Maybe it’s the combination of Jeonghan’s puppy eyes and feeling needed, but Minghao finally relents. I can’t feel worse than I do already, he reasons. “Fine. Let’s talk about your secret girlfriend.”

“Well,” says Jeonghan. “Talk isn’t really the right word.”

And to Minghao’s utter surprise, he leans forward. At this close proximity, he can see whatever spots and pimples Jeonghan has only bothered to cover up lightly, his poorly applied chapstick lathered on way too thick, glimmering under the low yellow light as he leans closer and closer -- too close. 

Minghao suddenly regrets having his back to his bed because he doesn’t have anywhere to back up. For some reason, he has the desperate urge to escape -- Jeonghan’s sudden assertiveness makes him feel dizzy. 

“Should I start by taking a leap into the unknown?” Jeonghan whispers, breath puffing gently on Minghao’s face. He squeaks and leans away, his back hitting the wall. 

Undeterred, Jeonghan cages Minghao against the bed. From his dominant position, he silently appraises Minghao. Minghao, red-faced and sweaty, gapes back at him like a fish. 

“Is this consensual?” asks Jeonghan. 

“What do you think,” says Minghao. 

“Well, it doesn’t matter what I think,” says Jeonghan casually. Minghao wonders how Jeonghan can be so goddamn unaffected when he himself can barely hear the other boy over his roaring heartbeat. “Plus, earlier you were a bit -- “

“It’s consensual,” says Minghao. “It’s definitely consensual. Please proceed.” 

Jeonghan’s lips are inches above his own. His eyes are hooded. “Is this daring enough?” he breathes, quietly enough that Minghao can barely hear the words.

“You could be a bit more daring,” says Minghao. He’s immediately annoyed with how breathless he sounds. This fact is not lost on Jeonghan, who smirks in return. 

“A bit more daring, huh,” says Jeonghan. He looks at him with the same unidentifiable, pensive look before crushing their lips together. 

His hand moves to cradle the back of Minghao’s hand in an unexpectedly tender gesture that rivals the passionate kiss.Minghao makes a muffled shriek of surprise before reaching up a desperate hand to clutch at the front of Jeonghan’s shirt. After all, he’s been left wanting for a long time. They melt together.

“Oh my god,” Minghao says when they pull apart. He can’t help but stare at Jeonghan in wonder and confusion. The other boy is staring right back at him with the same wonder sparkling in his eyes but clear of confusion. “H-how long?” he manages to force out, head still reeling. The end of his question trails off, the phrase _how long have you wanted this_ hangs in the air that Jeonghan seems to understand. 

“Just now,” Jeonghan shrugs, still intently focusing on Minghao. “The cards told me to, after all. You?”

“2015.” Minghao looks down, embarrassed of his own feelings, remembering the swirling confusion in his gut when a younger him looked at Jeonghan with long blond hair, the sight that left his mouth dry and his heart aching. 

He looks away from Jeonghan’s gaze, still flushed from his honest reveal, only for his gaze to land on the camera he had tucked away on the shelf on the chance that this footage could be used for SVT Club. “Oh fuck,” he realizes. “We can’t air any of this.”

Jeonghan swivels his head around to look at whatever Minghao is focused on only to notice the camera as well. He does a double take and starts laughing. “Oh my god,” he wheezes, “imagine handing this over the editors. What the hell would they even say?”

“We’re not doing that!” Minghao snaps. “That footage is unusable.” He pushes Jeonghan off him and tries to sit up straight. Unfortunately, Jeonghan seems to have taken it as permission to latch onto him from a sitting position.

“I don’t know about unusable,” Jeonghan muses. From his position with his arms wrapped around Minghao, his head buried in Minghao’s shoulder forces Minghao to feel every word he says. “That would make good softcore pornagraphy.”

“We’re definitely destroying this camera,” says Minghao firmly. “No one can ever see that footage. No one.”

“Why not!” Jeonghan exclaims, giggling into his hands like the chaos-bringer gremlin he is. “I think carats will like it.”

“Absolutely not!” He makes a halfhearted effort to shove Jeonghan’s hands off his waist, but gives in with a sigh.

“It’s okay if we leave it in,” Jeonghan continues his spiel with a cackle. “After all, isn’t our show called ‘New Gen’s Real Summit?’ What embodies the spirit of youth and the new generation better than an impassioned love affair!”

“You’re being ridiculous,” Minghao huffs. “Even if we left it in, I don’t even think I could talk about this hobby during the show. I think I would just be thinking about-” he gestures wildly, “This! What just happened here.” 

“You’d be having flashbacks to this moment,” Jeonghan snickers. “And you wouldn’t be able to focus. No problem! Most carats also have a hard time thinking straight when they think about my handsome face.”

“That is a problem,” Minghao grumbles. “I would get distracted during filming and everyone would ask what’s wrong and then I won’t even be able to tell them why.”

“Then don’t bring it up,” Jeonghan mumbles, nestling his head further into Minghao’s neck. He twitches a little at the sensation. “You have plenty of other hobbies, right? Talk about those instead.”

“You may be right,” Minghao concludes. He stares about the abandoned deck of tarot cards on the floor of his room. 

Jeonghan squeezes his stomach to get his attention. “Hey,” he says into Minghao’s ear. “I have an idea for what we can do with the rest of that camera’s battery. It involves you, me, your future career as a softcore porn star, and that ace of swords card looks like a promising addition…”

“Alright, alright, I get it,” Minghao huffs, ignoring his flaming cheeks. He stands up and pushes them both on his bed.

  
  
  
  


**Author's Note:**

> 聽天由命 is the chinese idiom that minghao references in the fic which basically means to resign oneself to fate
> 
> remember to stream left and right! as always, pls leave comments and kudos if u enjoyed this heheh i beg for validation


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